...

A/N: Izumi here. Whoa this chapter had been stuck in my laptop for three days! I forgot that to upload this! Christmas break is almost over and I'm being all sorts of busy. Hopefully this term doesn't kill me, ugh. Wish me luck!

Chapter Two: Secrets and Poison

As if the bloodied puppet strapped to his back wasn't enough burden to his carry, he had to also leap his way back to the Hidden Leaf Village with an unconscious boy, nearly his weight, splayed upon his arms as if he belonged there. To be honest, the dude smelled awfully. He smelled of blood and sweat mingled with that strange dog sweat that mingled with his soggy fur jacket. He noticed that the shinobi clutched his dog near his chest. He was still protective of it despite being out cold.

What is it with Konoha shinobi and their pets? Perhaps it was like how he was to his puppets. It wasn't merely a tool or a pet to them. It was an extension of themselves...which caused Kankuro to physically shudder at the memory of his fight with Sakon. The Sand-nin almost dropped the Inuzuka, had he not been able to get his bearings right away. He had to stop for a moment to collect his breath and lean against the tree.

That shouldn't have happened. He was such a total badass! He was supposed to arrive there a proud shinobi of Suna and eliminate the opponent in the most gruesome yet effective manner as a showcase of his skill. Instead, he had to ruin his first kill of the day by forgetting to clean his puppet! The corpse on his back knew. The boy on his arms knew! One of them was dead while the other was getting there.

For a brief moment, he contemplated on just contaminating the Konoha dude's gut wound with his leftover poison. No one would know and no one could blame him. He'll just tell them that he was killed by the guy before he got there. It's not like they would actually care enough to perform autopsy on him, right? Looking down at the fanged youth, he curled his lip. They might. This was Konoha and everyone was someone's friend here. If I kill him it would send the wrong message that Suna was hostile and retaliating against them. Though it would liberate his brother from being hitched to that Hyuuga twat, they might also incur the most pointless and unnecessary bloodshed in the history of the shinobi-all because he'd forgotten to clean up after his stupid fucking mess. He just wasn't sure if this dude in his arms would really keep his mouth shut. What if he had woken up and babbled to everyone? He was halfway to passing out when he threatened him. How receptive could he have been?

He could just dump him here. He didn't need to poison him. He'd die from the blood loss alone. Then he'd just tell them that the dude was nowhere in that fight and he was unable to be tracked. He sighed and shook his head. Even that excuse was full of holes. He might convince their deadbeat chuunin, but not the jounin who would then investigate him-and again, never in his life would he ever so willingly tarnish the name of Suna-even if it meant being publicly humiliated for his act. He had to admit, he didn't see that one coming, pun intended.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a guy too. I understand your needs." The Konoha-nin's voice echoed within his head. Did he really mean that? He gazed at the pale, dirtied boy, so peaceful in his slumber. Or perhaps he sensed that his life would have been in jeopardy if he hadn't assured me or something. He scrutinized his deep and even breathing despite the blood dripping on the branch beneath them. It wasn't just the presence of the semen that disturbed him, or the fact that he stuck his prick in his puppet. It was the thoughts which led to that night of passion.

...

Kankuro was seething all week, after being confined for having bug bites all over his body. They weren't poisonous, but they were painful. Unlike ant bites, kikaichu bug bites didn't swell right away. They were two days away from Suna when the bites had fully manifested on him. He turned into a human cauliflower. His skin was like liquid hot fire burning his flesh underneath. Not long before the swells had burst, vomiting out pus from overblown pores.

"Kami-sama what the hell is wrong with you?!" Temari could stand neither stand the sight nor the stench of him. She pinched his nose, carrying on his back a near-comatose Gaara. Kankuro's cheeks and lips were so swollen he could barely talk "Kk-i-rai-ch-ch-oo...A-a-bbb-ura-mme...ddd-"

The blonde settled Gaara next to a tree before she yelled "You stink bigtime I can't take it anymore!" She unloaded the giant iron fan from her back and swung it open to one star. She blew the wind towards him. The soup of his pus were flitted away but it didn't lessen the swelling or the pain.

"AAAAHHH!" He screamed. Then again, his sister wasn't famous for being merciful. "Shut up and bear with it! You were the one cocky enough to face the bug ninja." She closed the fan and slung it on her back, readjusting her youngest brother slung over her shoulder. She walked ahead and spoke "You better keep up. We're not out of the Fire country yet. The Konoha ANBU might still pursue us."

For two whole days he had to suffer through every substance that touched his screaming integument. He hadn't even felt the worst of it until they reached the Sand. From then on it had been pure agony. The rough dust grazed and contaminated his sores. The villagers, the Jounin Council, their fellow schoolmates and even the healers (except Chiyo baa-sama) couldn't help but gag at the mere sight of him.

As the slow process to healing began, including the hot baths filled with sour and bitter liquid despite the sweltering heat of the desert noon, Kankuro swore on his grave that he will fucking murder that Aburame dude in the worst possible way he could think of.

Which was poison.

Yes. That bastard will receive nothing less than his most torturous, and ultimately fatal, medicine. He said as he perused the restricted access within the Suna medical library. He managed to talk Baki into granting him a temporary permit to "increase his ability to protect and contain the jinchuuriki", a reason which anyone with a terrible experience with a berserk Gaara would immediately consent to. But how to make it? All available poison within the shinobi arsenal incurred either paralyzation or instant death. A few poison would diffuse in the stomach after twenty minutes and causes endless vomiting and defecation. One could cause blindness. Concentrated venom causes blood thinning and body hemorrhaging. Kankuro smiled, imaging his opponent bleeding from his eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth...

His sensual, wind-chapped lips glistening with blood.

"What the fuck?!" Kankuro exclaimed, eyes flying open. Did he just...think about his enemy's lips in such a way? He shook these thoughts away and finally found the book he was looking for: Sunagakure's Hidden Forbidden Concoctions vol.1. ed.8. He pulled the scroll out from the top shelf and went to the dour old librarian, pale and wrinkled as a raisin. "What division of the military are you in?" It asked, its eyes milky with glaucoma. Kankuro gulped "Ichibi Suppression Division." He made that up right on the top of his head. That's technically his duty after all. The old woman nodded and stamped his borrower's card "I see. Borrowing date is fifteen days. This is beyond negotiation. If you exceed there would be a fine."

"How much would that cost per day?" The puppeteer asked. To this the librarian smiled, her teeth sparse and yellowed "Nothing huge. A finger maybe, or a limb.
Depending on the size of the scorpion sent after you." Kankuro gulped again "The single-tailed or the double-tailed one?". The woman shrugged "I've never met anyone who came back. Perhaps, you'll tell me what they're like." The Sand-nin was gone in a heartbeat.

...

Since the desert would become unbearably hot past nine, Kankuro opted to stay in one of the cooler places in Sunagakure, the ice cream shop next to the grand fountain in the oasis. This place had long been planned to be an indoor mall with its own cooling system, and it was slowly being built over the age old shopping stalls and well-insulated shops made of caked mud and sandstone. He'd sit next to the window, order a fig-and-coconut sorbet, then peruse the contents of the book, one page after another.

Kankuro would glance out the shop window from time to time. It had been an idle afternoon. Last night, he was caught by his brother masturbating. If it were someone else he would have died from humiliation. However, it was Gaara. His brother had been far too twisted and preoccupied by Shukaku to even feel horniness, or have enough boredom that would cause him to explore his sexuality. To further prove his point, he had just witnessed his brother almost kill himself a few hours ago, anything just to rid his mind of the monster. Baki found them shortly as the border guards, despite being on the verge of nervous breakdown, managed to point out the direction he and his brother and taken.

But what just happened back there? His thoughts reverted to the idea in the library. He felt high on revenge then suddenly, out of nowhere, he fixated on his lips, which were pale pink and rough. He imagined what it would feel like on his pulsing neck, when it was followed by soft kisses trailing from his chest to his abdomen to his-

"Kankuro-kun!" a sing-song voice called from afar. He groaned. There's this classmate of his again, the dumb pumpkin-head whom everyone adored. "It's me, Natsumi!" His face was stoic "Oh, Natsumi-san." Without warning she sat herself beside him and waved her friends away. It must be extra hot today for her cheeks to flare like that. "What are you reading?" she inquired. He immediately rolled up the scroll and sighed "Military secret."

The girl crossed her legs and slid closer to him, causing him to press himself against the window. "You know, fig-and-coconut sorbet is my favorite too."
Her eyes were hooded as she stared up at him. Kankuro was skittish at best. He pushed the dessert cup towards her "You can have it then. I'm not that hungry." Natsumi seemed disappointed but discarded her expression immediately, to be replaced by an even cheerful one as she moved closer to him, her legs toying with his "I'm sorry about Kazekage-sama. How are you?" she softly uttered next to his ear. One minute she was innocuous and friendly, then she was sultry and sympathetic He couldn't figure her out. "I'm...fine. It couldn't have been avoided. Orochimaru was a legendary sannin after all." Her hand was dangerously close to his inner thigh "How are you coping?" He was on the verge of digging his way to the other side of the wall with his fingernails when a taller dark-haired spoke "Natsumi, can't you see you're making Kankuro-sama uncomfortable?" Natsumi scowled at him. They shared the same amber eyes "Shut up, Arikou."

"That's big brother Arikou for you." he corrected. Now he turned his gaze to Kankuro "Baki-sensei wants you to be in the palace." The other breathed a sigh of relief as he extricated himself. Thank kami-sama. He'd rather be with Arikou than his younger sister in any circumstance. The boy was two years older than him and had passed his chuunin examination on the first attempt. Most Sand shinobi did. They were known for sending a few but high-quality ninja Konoha would surely wet their pants to have. The boy glanced back at Kankuro who had not been so subtle at observing him "You seem tired. Was Gaara-sama triggered again?"

"More or less. He had been...less murderous nowadays. Though he probably got several guard-nin fired or demoted. I would've also been demoted too if I weren't a genin or his brother." He replied. Arikou smiled "I think that's inevitable." Kankurou returned the grin. "Sorry about my sister. She can be way too clingy at times." The other Sand-nin shrugged "Don't sweat it. I'm used to it." There was silence as they cruised the city streets of Suna. It was almost nightfall again and the red district slowly ignited its lights. Booze and fried food waft all over the air and entertainers began dragging for customers left and right.

"Did Baki tell you what he wants to say?" Kankuro decided to break the quiet air around them. Arikou merely smiled as he responded "I don't know. We're close enough. You can ask him yourself." With one swift move, Arikou slipped his hand next to Kankuro. The puppeteer was startled "What are you-"

Arikou shoved him to a nearby alley and gazed at the other's eyes. His was alive in mischief against the other, who was alarmed. "Kankuro-sama... I know your secret." The chuunin pressed his lips against him. Kankuro did not know what to make of it. It was all too sudden. How was he supposed to react? The lips were demanding, searching for an opening, trying to coax some sort of response. Instead, he pushed his shoulders away "I...I don't know what you're talking about." This meek denial had only brought a wider sly grin upon Arikou's face. He held the other's neck and his mouth found his ear, which despite being covered had been tickled by his breath. "I saw you at that shop, the one that sells those magazines."

The puppeteer's eyes widened. He fumbled for an answer "Wh-what shop? I really have no time for this! Baki-sensei might-" The other nin pulled the cloth covering the other's head and began trailing kisses from his cheek to his neck. This gesture to his hypersensitive flesh did not go unnoticed. Somewhere when those same lips landed on his throat, he involuntarily had let out a moan. He gasped and tried to jerk from being pinned against the wall. It terrified him stupid. "Please. Let's not-"

When Arikou saw the frightened look he sighed "I'm sorry about that. I got carried away." He carefully retreated, lingering a hand on his cheek. " You're a fine man, Kankuro-sama. Please don't think anything is wrong with you." He turned away and walked ahead while Kankuro was still agape. What the heck had just happened? He staggered with his hand crutched on the wall, trying to gain his breath. He'd been found out. His secret. That store. That store was...a black market of sorts...a sex shop catering only to those who prefer...the same sex. His mind was racing fast. "Shit," He cursed "How long had he been watching me?" Was he the only one who knew? He had to know everything he knows!

...

Back at the palace, Baki's arms were crossed. His single visible eye was stern when he spoke "Kankuro! You're late!" Instead he casually dismissed him "Yeah, I know." He sat next to Gaara and Temari both of whom were seemingly lost in deep thought "What's up?" The elder Jounin sighed "We're going to Konoha in a few days."

This seemed new "Why? Is this about the Konoha invasion? Do they want our heads or something?" Baki shook his head and moved closer to them "None of those. It's about Gaara's engagement." Temari visibly flinched, Gaara hunched forward with subtlety, while Kankuro staggered as if he had fallen from a tree "Wh-what? Ga-Gaara! I didn't know you fancied someone." He smiled in the cheesiest fashion before continuing "Who's the lucky girl then?" Without turning, Gaara unleashed his sand on Kankuro, a tide that swept him off his seat and shoved him onto the closet door across them before it was slammed shut by the same sand.

Kankuro heard Baki reprimand the redhead "Gaara pipe down! I'm not finished with your brother." He heard footsteps coming towards him. The door was opened and the older man looked down on him "I need you to get something for me. It's important for the engagement." As if on cue, the man he most wanted to avoid entered their briefing room "Arikou here will assist you."